Clear to run(?)

September 13, 2012Posted inDemocracy, Political parties82 Comments
About 6 weeks ago, at a press conference, the prime minister claimed that the Election Commission of Bhutan should disqualify the opposition party from taking part in the next round of elections for failing to clear its debts by the 30 June deadline. Remarkably, the prime minister also suggested that the two members in opposition should not be permitted to run in the next elections … not as members of their current party, not by starting a new party, not by joining another party. As it turned out, the election commission, having reviewed the status of the two existing…

The Journalist?

June 2, 2012Posted inMedia32 Comments
Politicians and political parties love media coverage. The Journalist, a weekly paper, has featured PDP on its cover, directly or indirectly, in four of its last 8 issues. Therefore, PDP must be happy. Right? Not exactly. Every one of The Journalist’s stories on PDP during the last two months has a negative bias. And almost every one of them seems to be intended to undermine the PDP, and to discredit its president. The Journalist began their 1st April cover story by telling readers that: The talk in town is that Gasa MP, Damchoe Dorji, the only opposition member apart…

Financing political parties

July 2, 2009Posted inPolitical parties19 Comments
The Royal Audit Authority, in its annual report to the Parliament, pointed out what we all know: that both our political parties are in serious financial problems. As of 30th June 2008, PDP owed Nu 20,326,924 to the Bank of Bhutan and Nu 3,588,232 to other various other suppliers. DPT owed Nu 14,253,975 to the Bank and Nu 7,708,010 to other suppliers. Yesterday, the National Assembly spent a good hour discussing the Royal Audit Authority’s observations on the financial status of our two political parties. Actually, we did not really discuss the audit observations per se. Instead, we talked…

PDP meeting

June 13, 2009Posted inPolitical parties
Today we organized a special meeting for our financial supporters. During the meeting, we made presentations on the status of our party, and talked about the way forward. Our supporters resolved that the PDP must continued to be strengthened in order to provide an effective opposition to the government, and to ensure that our people have access to a credible alternate party. Several supporters offered voluntary financial contributions. Others volunteered to join the fund-raising committee.

Our Punakha party

April 13, 2009Posted inPolitical parties
Yesterday, our secretary general Sonam Jatso and I visited Punakha. The PDP Dzongkhag office there had invited us to attend their general meeting. About 100 party members including members, workers and supporters had gathered to discuss strategies to further strengthen our dzongkhag office.I was delighted. We lost both the Punakha constituencies last year. And our president, Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup, who hails from Punakha, resigned to take moral responsibility for the poor election results. Yet, not a single party worker or supporter has left the party. Instead, they are closer and more focused than ever. And they are determined to…

PDP Secretary General

April 12, 2009Posted inPolitical parties
Last week, in a quiet ceremony, Lam Kezang Chhoephel, PDP’s secretary general, formally handed over the party’s files to the incoming secretary general, Sonam Jatso.Lam Kezang joined PDP in July 2007 and served as the party’s first secretary general. He successfully registered PDP as Bhutan’s first political party on 1st September 2007, and was instrumental in establishing and developing PDP’s party offices throughout the country.Lam Kezang leaves the PDP to join a private company. I thank him from the bottom of my heart. And I wish him success.

A unique example

March 24, 2009Posted inPeople, Political parties
Last year, in Sherubste College, a student asked me: “We’ve been told, many times, that democracy in Bhutan is unique – please tell me how it is unique.”The fact of the matter is that all democracies are based on, more or less, the same principles, and none can claim to be really unique. But, on the other hand, no two democracies are exactly the same, making every democracy, unique in its own way. So to claim that our particular form of democracy is unique, in the way it is structured for example, would not make much sense.But in one…

2nd general convention

March 23, 2009Posted inPolitical parties
The PDP held its second general convention yesterday.Despite strong appeals, from every party member, PDP president Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup resigned, taking full “moral responsibility” for the party’s loss in Bhutan’s first general elections.The general convention confirmed the following nominations:President: Tshering TobgayVice Presidents: Damcho Dorji, Ritu Raj Chhettri, Yeshey DorjiSecretary General: Sonam JatshoTreasurer: Namgay DorjiSpokesman: Dr Tandin DorjiThe general convention also approved a new executive board.

PDP general convention

March 21, 2009Posted inPolitical parties12 Comments
Tomorrow, 22nd March, PDP will hold its general convention.We anticipate a large turnout. People from every dzongkhag have telephoned to inform us that they’ll be participating in the meeting.The convention is open to all party members. To attend, please be at the RAPA hall by 9:30 AM.

Party convention

February 22, 2009Posted inPolitical parties
Here’s good news for PDP supporters: A high-level party meeting today decided that PDP’s annual convention will be held on 22 March 2009. All registered members are entitled to participate in the convention, details of which will be made public this week.

Opposition in hot water

January 12, 2009Posted inDemocracy, Political parties13 Comments
I liked Bhutan Observer’s caricature for two reasons. One, they managed to make me look content and happy. And two, Gyamtsho, my son, predicted my response. When his friends had expressed concern for me, he had assured them that I would find it funny. What did I do when he showed me the cartoon? I laughed. And the more I looked at it, the more I laughed.I like the cartoon very much. But they got one thing wrong – the opposition is not “in turmoil”.I wish we were. If we were in turmoil, it would mean that we were…